The Second Reveal
by Crystalteen
Summary: It's the final night before Christmas break and Yuki ends up making the decision to reveal her secret to her best friend, Shino. However, before that can happen ... Shino has something personal of her own to share. Two-Shot.


**A/N: ****A/N: Salutations, my wonderful viewers!**

**I hope that all of you had a great end to your summer vacation and that you're as ready for the autumn season as I am. Of course, I understand if none of you are looking forward to freezing temperatures or darker evenings. I don't like either of those things either ... but autumn is still my favorite season and I'm looking forward to it! :D :D**

**Anyway, I recently came up with this idea for a two-shot and I just couldn't stop thinking about how much I loved it. I'm very excited to see what you all think about it! It was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but it turned out to be so long to the point where I realized that it would've been a better decision if I turned it into a two-shot instead. XD**

**Although, before we begin, allow me to assure you all that I am still working on my other story, "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched." The only reason as to why I haven't updated that story in a little over a month is because I haven't been able to physically work on the next chapter yet. Not only that, but my inspiration has been pretty drained lately and I've recently started my third year of college. So, I've been juggling other responsibilities and haven't had much time to work. Nonetheless, like I said before, I am still working on "Hana & Ookami: Roles Switched." I'm mentally preparing it and it'll be getting worked on sooner or later. :)**

**Now, it's time for part one of the two-shot!**

**Summary: It's the final night before Christmas break and Yuki ends up making the decision to reveal her secret to her best friend, Shino. However, before that can happen ... Shino has something personal of her own to share.**

**Note: This isn't, in any particular way, meant to be viewed as a "shipping" one-shot. This is a one-shot that revolves strictly around friendship. There's absolutely no romance whatsoever. I just felt the need to point that out.**

**Let me know what you think in the reviews, please! I always look forward to feedback and I appreciate it very much! Don't hold back on sharing your thoughts! :D :D**

**Happy reading, everybody! Don't forget to review!**

* * *

**The Second Reveal**

* * *

So far, Yuki's first year of Junior High School was going surprisingly well. When she had first agreed to depart from her home in the countryside in order to live in the student dorms, she was reluctant to leave her mother and also nervous at the thought of having to deal with being on her own for the first time. She no longer had Hana to confide in about her double life, nor did she have anybody—like Ame, to be exact—to relate to; but despite how committing herself fully to the human lifestyle wasn't as simple as Yuki had first been hoping, she had managed to discover a few ways to assist her in keeping her wolf half maintained.

First, not long after enrolling in the Junior High School, Yuki found herself developing an interest in sports—which, of course, wasn't much of a surprise since she had always been a lover of the outdoors and extremely active ever since she was a young pup. She had signed up for the volleyball team and had also gotten involved with the swim team. By participating, she was able to abandon any unpleasant thoughts, create bonds with her teammates, and blow off steam. So, her chances of having a panic attack were much slimmer compared to what they had been back at her previous school.

Then, there were the letters that Yuki and Hana often wrote back and forth to each other. It might've not compared to having a face to face conversation, but Yuki was still able to pour out all of her thoughts and feelings onto that sheet of paper and share them with her mother. Like with sports, writing gave her the opportunity to unleash whatever was on her mind and it prevented her from dwelling on any stress that could've been triggered from her academic life, social life, or double life. Not only that, but it also provided Yuki with comfort to know how her mom was doing and she genuinely liked hearing about everything that was going on back at home. Plus, within the first few months of creating those letters, Yuki came to realize just how much she enjoyed writing and she was able to figure out what she wanted to grow up to be as a full-time human. A journalist.

Thirdly, the Junior High School was surrounded by nature—tall trees, thick bushes, sweet-smelling flowers, poison ivy, rocks that were covered with moss, and the incredible view of hundreds of mountain peaks. During sunny days, it wasn't uncommon for some classes to be taught outside. It also wasn't rare for teachers—particularly the ones that taught subjects that revolved around biology—to take their students out on hikes. After all, the woodland that covered a majority of the area around the Junior High School provided dozens of trails.

So, whenever Yuki felt like she was unable to ignore the call of the wild, she would sneak off to the woods and spend some time in her wolf form. It wasn't very common for her to do this, courtesy of how risky it was and not to mention the fact that she was truly determined to live her life as a human; but whenever she _did_ find herself in need of having to let out her wolf half for at least a short period of time, she had the perfect atmosphere to do it in. She wouldn't ever have to worry about locking herself in her dorm or needing to run into the girls' bathroom to hide in a stall. Instead, she had the actual wild around her—the _perfect_ way to escape without causing any suspicions.

And finally, among the hundreds of other students that attended the Junior High School, Yuki was fortunate enough to have Shino—the first ever human that she had befriended—there with her. The two of them shared a majority of classes, as well as a room in the school dorms. So, instead of having to bunk with a total stranger and being surrounded by no familiar faces whatsoever, Yuki was able to relax in the thought of having somebody that she's known ever since her childhood right there by her side for a decent portion of the day.

Granted, Shino had no idea that Yuki was a "unique" individual that carried both human and wolf blood in her veins; but that didn't take away from the fact that the two of them had grown to be as close as two peas in a pod—especially since they were now roommates. Actually, Yuki and Shino did so much together to the point where it might as well have been a miracle that they weren't connected at the hip. They were the _perfect_ example of a genuine friendship—the type of friendship that the wolf child had always wanted and feared that she would never get while growing up. It might have not been noticeable to the naked eye, but Yuki really _did_ view Shino's presence in her life as a blessing. Without one, the other just _wouldn't_ have been complete.

Over the years, _that's_ how strong their bond had become ... and surely, there was nothing on the entire planet that would tarnish it.

* * *

Presently, it was the evening of December sixth—the last night before the Junior High School was scheduled to release its students for the long-awaited Christmas vacation. By nine A.M. the following morning, parents—or other caregivers—were expected to show up to pick up their children and inform their homeroom instructors that they had arrived to take them home. It was the same routine that took place before every holiday break, courtesy of how the teachers wanted to make sure that their students left the school grounds safely and with the correct guardians.

It was no later than 10:30, which meant that the sky was already a couple of hours into being pitch-black. Branches from a variety of trees could be heard swaying around in the distance, this being the result of the crisp breeze that was constantly whistling through the air. Snow was also coming down heavily, covering every inch of the ground in a thick white blanket. Sparkly icicles and thick layers of frost tied it all together, making every possible outdoor angle of the school seem like a picture that somebody would find on the front of a holiday card.

The school dorms weren't anything fancy. They were small rooms, consisting of high walls that were the color of eggshells and hardwood floors. Every room came with two futon mattresses that were supported by wooden frames, making them look like small—though surprisingly comfy and doable—beds. Aside from that, each of the dorms were also equipped with two nightstands, two desks, a bookshelf, at least one window, and a small closet that was meant to be used as a storage area for luggage and any additional articles of clothing—such as rain gear, winter garments, and pajamas. It was a good thing that the Junior High School provided uniforms. Otherwise, the closets _definitely_ wouldn't be big enough to support the wardrobes of two students per room.

In the case of Yuki and Shino, their beds were positioned directly against the walls on opposite sides of the room. So, when they had first been assigned their dorm, Yuki agreed to take the left side of the room and Shino made herself at home on the right side. They both got one nightstand and one desk, while the two of them also agreed to share the use of the bookshelf and closet. Needless to say, there were no arguments that broke out over space and it didn't take long before both girls started decorating to make themselves feel more comfortable in their new environment.

On Shino's side of the room, there was a massive, pretty, tie-dye piece of tapestry that was hanging on the east wall. It was created out of watercolors, which made it more subtle to notice at first glance and not to mention stand out beautifully from the room's whiteness. Then, there was the section of the north wall that was directly above the head of Shino's bed. Aside from a couple of framed photos of her, her parents, their family pets, and a couple of her friends, Shino had also decorated that part of the wall with a circular mirror, a smiling theater mask, a wooden cross that was painted a pastel shade of pink, and three, small, pretty plaques. One was lavender and shaped like a medieval flag, baring the words, "Live, Laugh, Love." The second plaque was oval-shaped and a delicate shade of orange, advertising the message, "Enjoy the Little Things." And lastly, the third plaque was rectangular and mint green, reading, "Hello, Beautiful!" Clearly, if there was one thing that Shino absolutely loved, it was finding quotes that she enjoyed and using them to her advantage.

Finally, there was Shino's bed. She had it topped perfectly with her thick, soft, pale blue comforter that was decorated with the design of lilacs. A sea of plump pillows were also gathered neatly at the head of the bed. Some of them matched the floral design on the blanket, while others provided more quotes like "Never Give Up," "Shoot for the Moon," and "The Snuggle is Real" instead. There were even a couple of pillows that were furry and a cute stuffed panda usually sat among them, tying the whole bed together.

Yuki's side of the room, on the other hand, was much more plain and simple. She had topped her bed with the same, soft, red and white blanket that she had slept with ever since she was a small child. She only had the one pillow from her childhood, but was lucky to have a friend like Shino—because she had kindly handed over a couple of her own pillows for Yuki to borrow.

As for the west wall and the section of the north wall that was above Yuki's bed, the wolf child did her best to decorate them with photographs—mainly ones that Hana had taken of her and Ame when they were kids. There were also a couple of pictures that included Hana, while others incorporated some of the neighbors that their little family had grown pretty close to—particularly Mrs. Nirasaki, Mr. Nirasaki, and even Grandpa Nirasaki. Those were the photos that were advertised neatly on the west wall. The north wall was mainly decorated with pictures of Yuki with Shino, Souhei, and a few new friends that she had recently met on both the volleyball and swim teams.

Other than that, Yuki didn't really know how else to spruce up her half of the dorm. So, Shino had suggested for them to create some snowflakes out of light blue sheets of paper and tape them in numerous spots. That way, it would look as if snow was sprinkling around the photos. Plus, it was a theme that went along _perfectly_ with the wolf child's name. With that being said, she agreed and Shino assisted her in creating the snowflakes. All of them turned out surprisingly well, each one consisting of a different pattern, and they did a great job at completing Yuki's side of the room.

Shino and Yuki's books, backpacks, and other school supplies were organized nicely on their desks, while their luggage and additional outfits were placed in the closet. Finally, to wrap it all up, fairy lights were beautifully lining the creases and upper corners of the north, east, and west walls, providing a warm glow whenever they were turned on. It was more than obvious that the dorm looked a hundred times better than what it did before Yuki and Shino had settled it.

Although, on this particular night, the beds were stripped and the two girls had already packed their bags for the following morning. Normally, by this time, they would've already been at least an hour or two into getting some rest for classes; but since it was the final night before Christmas break, getting a full six-to-eight hours of sleep was the _last_ thing on either of the young girls' minds.

* * *

Instead of sleeping, Yuki and Shino were sitting across from each other on the floor. They were completely surrounded by their pillows and blankets, as well as dozens of colorful boxes and sparkly bags that just so happened to contain a variety of candies, homemade cookies, and other tasty treats. All of these snacks had been presents from the teachers of the Junior High School, who had wanted to wish their students a merry Christmas and bid them farewell for the holiday break by gifting them with goodies. Needless to say, all of the students were ecstatic ... and by the time that the Junior High School wrapped up the same assembly that always took place before the end of every break—the assembly that revolved around being safe and making smart decisions—Yuki and Shino couldn't wait to return to their dorm and enjoy their sea of treats together.

It all led up to this very moment, in which the two girls were smothering their giggles as they gossiped about silly stuff that they had noticed some of their other classmates doing and exchanged corny jokes that were written on the inside of most of the candy wrappers.

The whole room was choked with the delicious scents of caramel, chocolate, marshmallow, salt, molasses, toffee, and a long list of fruits. Not only that, but there were two sources of light that were helping to provide an even cozier atmosphere for the wolf child and her roommate. The first source of light was none other than the fairy lights, which were surprisingly bright enough to fill the dim dorm with what was like a campfire vibe. Then, there was the second source of light—a cute, spherical nightlight that belonged to Shino. It sat on her nightstand, providing her and Yuki with a majestic show of purple and aqua stars that rotated at a slow pace. They shined against the ceiling and peacefully skimmed along the walls, making the dorm almost seem like it had transformed into an observatory. It was beautiful.

Currently, Yuki was dressed in a long pair of cotton, checkered, dark blue and yellow pajama bottoms. Accompanying it was a black and maroon sweatshirt that had the words "Wild and Free" printed on it in bold, white letters. It was fairly baggy on the wolf girl's slim figure, providing her with even more comfort, and her nails were nicely painted with emerald-colored polish. Of course, that had been the result of Shino ... and even though makeup had not once crossed Yuki's mind while she was growing up, she—as a full-time human—was determined more than ever to continue behaving as graceful and ladylike as possible. So, she agreed to let Shino paint her nails ... and by the end of it, Yuki had to admit that it didn't feel as weird as she first thought it would. Instead, she had enjoyed her and her roommate's little bonding session.

As for Shino, she was wearing a salmon-colored top that had mid-length sleeves and the adorable image of a blushing panda's face designed on its front. With it, she was also wearing a pair of comfortable, black and white, striped pajama shorts and some thick wool socks. Not only that, but instead of having her hair styled in the typical braids that she was almost always known to have, Shino had brushed her hair out and pulled it back into a messy—yet still cute—bun. It actually looked very similar to a ballerina's hairstyle. Then, to tie her whole appearance together, her nails—courtesy of Yuki—were painted the same shade of pink as cotton candy.

Shino had just gotten done tearing open a cheesecake-flavored Kit-Kat bar, her eyes twinkling with delight as she inhaled the sweet scent. Yuki, on the other hand, was in the process of nibbling on a vanilla cake roll that had a swirl of fudge incorporated into it.

"I _still_ can't believe that the teachers gave everyone all of these goodies!" Shino declared with a giggle, still fiddling around with the Kit-Kat wrapper. "I just thought that they were going to hand out more holiday pencils, erasers, and stencils like they did last month, but this is even better!"

The wolf girl placed what was left of her vanilla cake in her mouth, using the back of her hand to wipe away any crumbs from her face as she chewed. Then, upon swallowing, she lowered her hand back down and offered her roommate a kind grin.

"Yeah, I know. I _still_ can't decide which homemade treat is my favorite." Yuki chuckled a little, taking a glance around at all of the sparkly pieces of plastic that had previously contained homemade goodies. "I'm stuck between Yamada Sensei's cake rolls and Mr. Hayashi's popcorn balls. I've never tasted anything quite like them before."

"If I had to choose, I'd go for the popcorn balls. They were the only ones that I've ever tried that weren't at all burnt. No offence to my dad, of course."

Shino laughed a little as she said that final sentence, followed by Yuki joining in just seconds later. After that, the wolf girl watched as her roommate broke apart the cheesecake-flavored Kit-Kat and handed one of the halves over to her. Then, the two girls proceeded to devour their millionth piece of candy together. It was gone within seconds, considering how Shino possessed a sweet tooth and Yuki was still somebody with a ravenous appetite.

"Speaking of favorite treats, I'm glad that Takamaki Sensei managed to get her hands on so many boxes of Melty Kisses!" Shino chirped, just as she retrieved a bright pink box that had been resting on the floor near her leg, not yet opened. "They're usually _so hard_ to find, especially around this time of year!"

Yuki tilted her head a little to the side, slight confusion beginning to slip across her features. She stared at the small box that still had a glittery ribbon stuck to its upper right corner and studied the image that was on the front. The candies looked very much like miniature brownies that were in the shape of cubes, possessing centers that were both creamy and chewy. In this case, the box showed that they were also a vibrant shade of pink.

"Melty Kisses? Aren't those the chocolates that have flavored centers?" Yuki inquired.

Shino nodded. "Yeah! They're seriously the _best_ treats to _ever_ be made by the Meiji company! Do you want to try one?"

The wolf child smiled. "Sure, thanks."

"No problem!"

Shino popped open the top of the box and reached in, pulling out two of the Melty Kisses and handing one over to Yuki. She then waited, watching with her own smile as Yuki removed the wrapper and examined the cube of chocolate as she held it between her thumb and index fingers.

"Huh..."

Yuki batted her lashes like a small child, a small piece of her mind beginning to wonder if her father had been _this_ curious back when her mother had first introduced him to Shish Kabobs.

Eventually, after about another three-to-five seconds of studying the small piece of candy, the wolf girl opened her mouth, placed it directly on her tongue, and started to chew. Her reaction was almost instantaneous, eyes widening in surprise and mouth immediately beginning to fill with an incredible blend of what tasted like mocha and strawberries. Yuki literally had to stop chewing for a moment in order to give herself the chance to process just how _delicious_ this candy actually was.

"Oh my gosh!" Yuki said, hiding her mouth behind her hand as she continued to chew. "This tastes _great!_ These ones must have centers that are flavored with strawberries, right?"

"Yep!" Shino confirmed with a giggle and a nod, right before she finally decided to start fiddling around with the wrapper that contained her own Melty Kiss. "They have _so many_ other flavors, but the strawberry ones are my absolute _favorite._ My dad, on the other hand, thinks that the ones with the centers that taste like green tea are the best."

Yuki lowered her hand from her mouth, able to tell that the piece of chocolate had melted enough in her mouth to the point where she didn't need to chew as much. The whole time, her gaze never left her roommate.

"What about your mom? Does she have a favorite flavor?"

Shino faltered at the mention of her mother, her fingers seeming to freeze. She peeked up to make brief eye contact with the wolf girl, the look within her eyes making it seem like there was something on her mind all of the sudden. Her smile had even faded ... but after about five seconds, Shino shook her head a little and seemed to have snapped herself out of whatever _that_ was. A new grin had appeared on her face as well ... but Yuki couldn't help but notice just how _staged_ this one looked. It reminded her of the smile that her mom had offered her back when she was a little girl—back when their garden kept wilting and she had asked Hana if they were going to starve.

"Oh, yeah! She does." Shino replied at last, not really sounding as upbeat as she usually did. "She loves the ones with the white chocolate in the middle."

The wolf child swallowed her Melty Kiss, just as her roommate had finally gotten hers out of its wrapper and placed it in her mouth. As soon as she did that, Shino relaxed her eyes shut and she let out a blissful exhale through her nose. At the same time, her forced smile seemed to melt away and it was replaced almost immediately by a much more genuine one. It was as if that whole moment of strange hesitation had never happened.

"Mmm! Oh my gosh, the taste brings back _so many_ memories!" Shino declared, just as she opened her eyes and locked her attention on the wolf girl once more. "As a kid, I remember saving up all of my Tooth Fairy money in order to get as many boxes of these as possible. My dad would attempt hiding them in secret spots all around the house so I wouldn't try eating them all in one sitting, but it was practically impossible to keep me away from _anything_ sweet. So, these rarely stayed hidden from me for long."

Yuki lightly laughed at Shino's little story, despite how she couldn't help but secretly question why she had faltered over something as simple as a little question about her mom in the first place. Although, instead of dwelling on it, Yuki figured that Shino had probably just gotten into an argument with her mother or something among those lines. She didn't wish to pry, not wanting to risk upsetting her roommate or making a big deal out of nothing. So, the wolf child just decided to do her best in brushing it off.

"Can I have another one?" Yuki asked as she pointed a finger as subtly as possible in the direction of the bright pink box that was on her roommate's lap.

Shino happily answered with, "Yeah, of course!"

* * *

For the next five-to-ten minutes, the two girls continued to eat through the whole box of Melty Kisses. All the while, they continued their little session of goofy gossip and cheesy jokes. It was as if they were the only two people on the entire planet.

When the final Melty Kiss was devoured, Yuki and Shino decided to give their stomachs a break. They lied down on top of their blankets and looked up at the ceiling, watching as the projection of stars from the spherical nightlight continued to peacefully rotate above them. All the while, the two of them continued to do their best with keeping their amused bursts of laughter on the down low. After all, the last thing that either of them wanted was to have an instructor show up at their door to lecture them on how other students had complained from all of the noise.

"It's so beautiful." Yuki said, eyes glimmering with admiration as she watched the different hues of purple and aqua continue to shine brightly against the blankness of the ceiling tiles. "I wish that we could be this close to the _actual_ stars."

"Yeah. Me, too." Shino agreed, a soft grin tugging at the edges of her mouth. "You know what my dad used to tell me when I was little and afraid of the dark?"

Yuki rolled her head over to look at her roommate, a sparkle of curiosity shooting through her eyes.

"What?"

"He used to tell me that whenever I found myself feeling scared, he wanted me to look up at the stars ... because they were actually angels that were watching over us from heaven." Shino explained, her gaze never breaking away from the ceiling. "Not long after he told me that, I stopped being afraid of the dark and he bought me this nightlight so I could have stars even in my own bedroom. I had it with me for as long as I can remember."

For a moment, the wolf girl didn't say anything back. One of the corners of her lips twisted upwards, forming a faint smile that looked very similiar to a delicate smile that her mother would wear. Then, after a couple of seconds, a new thought entered her mind. Her smile wavered as a look of what seemed like distraction crossed over her face, and she went back to looking up at the revolving stars with this new glint in her eyes. This time, instead of admiration or curiosity, it was pure honesty and maybe even a tad bit of sorrow.

"This might make me sound really, _really_ strange ... but I feel like I have a million memories of my dad, even though he died when I was literally no older than one. I can't remember practically anything about him ... yet, I also feel like I know _everything_ about him. As a kid, I remember taking almost _anything_ as a sign from him—as his way of showing me, Ame, and our mom that he was _always_ watching over us."

Yuki kept watching the stars as she spoke, her mind beginning to think back to the shrine that was dedicated to her father back at her house in the countryside.

"The way that the icicles gleamed when the sunlight hit them at just the right angle ... the way that a bumble-bee would fly from one flower to another during the spring right in front of me, not seeming the slightest bit terrified ... and the way that I could've sworn that some of the stars shined brighter than all of the others whenever I was looking at them. I saw my father in practically _every single event_ like those ... and I just imagined him wearing the same smile that he has on his driver's license as he refused to let even _death itself_ stop him from looking out for his p—"

Yuki nearly cringed, stopping herself just as she was about to accidentally say the word "pack." She squeezed her eyes shut and mentally slapped herself upside the head, making sure to quickly correct herself so she wouldn't put herself at the risk of drawing any suspicion from Shino.

"Family ... not even death could stop him from looking out for his _family._"

Shino blinked slowly, looking both amazed and sympathetic by all of the heartfelt words that had just gotten done leaving Yuki's mouth. Her lips quivered, falling into a small pout since she was already aware of how the wolf girl's father had perished when she was a baby. Shino didn't exactly know how he died, but the last thing that she wanted to do was force Yuki to go into detail about it. It was already more than evident that the wolf child's father had been _very_ important to her and that she missed him dearly.

"Yuki ... why would you think that by saying any of that, you would come off as strange?" Shino asked gently.

Yuki glanced over at her, making brief eye contact. She didn't say anything back at first, filling the room with nothing but the sound of the icy breeze whistling around outside. Then, after a couple of seconds, the wolf girl let out a sigh as she pushed herself up into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around the shins. All the while, she stared down at her knees with disappointment lining her features.

"Because ... he's not _really_ here. The only _actual_ memories that I have of him are memories that I can't even remember. When he died, I lost the opportunity to make any other _true_ memories with him ... and thus, I tried to cope with his absence by incorporating him into almost _everything_ that I saw as a kid."

Shino needed a moment to process that response. When she finished, she sat up and extended an arm out. She then placed her hand on the wolf child's shoulder and gave it a delicate squeeze, which resulted in Yuki making eye contact with her once again. As this happened, Shino—who still had sympathy in her eyes—offered her a reassuring smile.

"Yuki ... there's absolutely _nothing_ strange about that." Shino promised, in which she withdrew her hand from her roommate's shoulder and continued to speak with complete honesty. "You were honoring your father's memory by thinking about him all throughout your childhood. You're right about him not being here physically ... but that doesn't mean that you have to just forget about him completely. I actually think that it's absolutely _beautiful_ that you managed to see your dad in so many things."

Yuki stared at Shino in surprise, the expression that she was wearing looking awfully similar to the one that had been on her face back when Souhei had told her that she smelled like she had been around dogs.

"Really?" Yuki asked.

Shino gave a single nod as she replied with, "Yes, really."

The wolf girl gazed back up at the purple and aqua constellations, a piece of her brain still remembering the handsome picture of her father on his driver's licence.

"I ... never really thought about it like that before."

"Well, now you can _always_ think of it like that ... because it's the truth." Shino declared, right before she also lifted her attention back up to the ceiling. "And just so you know, Yuki ... I can _definitely_ see your dad being one of the thousands of angels that are looking down on us every starry night."

As soon as she heard her roommate make that final comment, the wolf child could've sworn that she felt what was like her heart being lightly squeezed. She was touched and almost felt the urge to begin crying, but didn't. Although, that didn't take away from the fact that Yuki's current emotions were very similar to what they had been back on the day in which she had revealed her secret to Souhei and he had promised that he wouldn't tell a soul.

She redirected her attention back over to Shino and began to let out a soft, yet audible, string of heartfelt giggles. As this happened, a new smile found itself spreading across the wolf child's face and she was almost in awe over the fact that she hadn't ended up shedding any tears after all.

"That ... that has to be one of the sweetest things that anybody has _ever_ said to me." Yuki remarked, her tone making it clear that she was very appreciative of everything that she had just heard. "Thanks, Shino..."

"Hey, what are friends for?"

With that, Shino shifted herself into a new position. She lied down on her side, keeping her eyes on Yuki as she positioned her elbow up against one of her pillows and rested her head in her hand.

"And _speaking_ of us being friends," Shino continued, "we're _totally_ going to get together to hang out over break, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I don't see why not." Yuki replied as she changed her position and placed her back against her bed, her attention never breaking away from her roommate. "I'm sure that my mom would be more than okay with us hanging out."

Shino grinned. "Can you believe that we're _actually_ heading home for Christmas? I mean, it _literally_ feels like it was just yesterday in which we first stepped foot on campus and found ourselves settling into this very dorm."

The wolf girl let out a faint chuckle, tucking some of her hair behind her ear in order to prevent it from falling in front of her face.

"I know. It's _crazy_ how fast time goes by. Before we know it, we'll be needing to pack up everything in order to go back home for the summer. Then, when autumn rolls back around, we'll find ourselves right back here, making ourselves comfortable in yet another dorm and getting ready for a whole new year with all new classes and teachers."

"Whoa! Slow your roll there, tiger!"

Shino made a gesture with both of her hands, signaling for Yuki to stop and slow down. Amusement was dripping from her voice and she wasn't trying to hold back her bubbly snickers, going back to resting her head in her hand as soon as she finished making her signal.

"Let's just focus on making it past Christmas and New Years first. It took us _so many_ hours to finish decorating both sides of this dorm. So, the very _last_ thing that I want to think about right now is how the two of us are going to have to make sure that we have it all packed up again by the end of the school year."

Yuki let out a small, breathy laugh. "Yeah. You have a pretty good point."

There was another moment of silence after that, filled with nothing but the sound of the wind screeching through the winter air outside. During that time, the two girls had lifted their gazes back up towards the ceiling and continued to observe the pretty lights that were being brought to them by the spherical nightlight.

The wolf child softly exhaled in thought, resting the back of her head against the edge of her bed's wooden frame. Her roommate, upon noticing this, glanced back over in her direction with a mixture of innocence and curiosity brewing in her eyes.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Shino proposed.

"...I'm just wondering if my mom is possibly looking at the _actual_ stars right now, thinking about how the two of us are going to be reuniting for the first time in the morning since I left."

"I bet that you're _really_ looking forward to seeing her again, huh?"

Yuki's eyes practically lit up as she gave her reply. "More than you can ever imagine. It'll be nice to be back in the countryside with her, listening to her share stories about everything that has been going on with her job, our neighbors, and even the housework."

"I know _exactly_ what you mean. I never thought that I would _ever_ be so excited to ask my dad about his latest projects around the house."

Small giggles fell from Shino's lips as she made that comment. Yuki couldn't resist joining in a couple of seconds later; and as this happened, her roommate decided to push herself up into a sitting position.

"By the way, Yuki..." Shino said, just as she rested her back against her own bed, folded her legs, grabbed her stuffed panda from where it was lying on the floor nearby, and placed it in her lap—all with a friendly grin on her face. "Do you know if Ame will be coming back to Japan to enjoy the break with you and your mother yet?"

At the mention of her only sibling, Yuki's eyes grew a little and she found herself instinctively reaching a hand up to her chest. She placed it over her heart, which she could've sworn had completely swollen up in that very moment, and gripped the fabric of her sweatshirt. At the same time, the small grin that had been decorating her face wavered and she ended up staring at Shino like she had just seen a ghost.

While Yuki had decided to live her life as a human, Ame had done the exact opposite. Instead of pursuing an education or bonding with any humans like his sister had done, Ame had accepted the call of the wild and ran off in his wolf form to serve as the guardian of the mountains.

To this day, the wolf girl could remember every little detail of the morning in which she last saw her little brother—the humid temperature, the way that the spiderwebs delicately danced in the breeze, the heavier scents of soil, wildflowers, moss, wood, and trees, and the list could go on for miles. Yuki had been in a hurry to catch the bus and Ame had tried convincing her to stay home from school—to watch over their mom. She remembered smiling at him and telling him in return to be the one to keep their mother company. After that, she ran out of the house ... and that was it. Her and Ame never saw each other again.

Looking back on that morning, Yuki mainly regretted two things—not telling Ame goodbye before she scampered off to school, and completely overlooking the fact that he had been trying to protect her. He didn't want her to be hours away from home during such a vicious downpour ... and Yuki would never forget the moment in which Hana had finally arrived at the school to pick her up. She was completely soaked, as well as riddled with dirt and dozens of scrapes. The wolf girl didn't hesitate to ask her mother what had happened ... only to find out that her brother had chosen his path and was gone.

To this day, Yuki felt a variety of emotions whenever she thought about Ame's departure. She was angry at him for not waiting to at least say goodbye to her, yet glad to know that he had found his place in the world—just like she had. She was also sad because she genuinely missed having him around, but tried her best to rest in the reassurance of their mother that he was doing just fine in the mountains.

Eventually, after Yuki had managed to process everything that had happened on the day of the storm, Hana had explained to her that whenever somebody tried asking questions about where Ame went, they were meant to say that he had gone to live with Hana's mother—because he had his heart set on a specific school that wasn't in Japan.

So, that's the _exact_ explanation that the wolf girl had given her roommate a couple of months prior.

"Yuki?" Shino suddenly spoke up again, her head now tilted a little to the side with mild confusion accompanying her features. "Are you okay?"

Without any hesitation, the wolf child broke out of her trance-like state and—despite being startled—put on the widest, most realistic smile that she could muster. At the same time, she released the grip that she had on her sweatshirt and made it seem like she had only been trying to scratch at an itch.

"O-oh! Yeah, I'm fine!" Yuki assured, right before she carried on the conversation like she had never faltered in the first place. "I honestly don't know yet if Ame will be returning home for Christmas. Neither does my mom. It all just ... _depends_ on certain things, you know?"

During her response, Shino had picked up a small brownie that was shaped and decorated with icing to look like a kitten. She unwrapped it and placed it in her mouth, locking her gaze back on the wolf girl as she chewed. Then, by the time that Yuki had finished her final sentence, Shino had been able to swallow the tasty treat.

"Yeah, I can understand that ... but have you or your mother at least heard anything from him lately?"

As soon as she heard that question, the first thing that came to Yuki's mind was the howls that Hana had described in a variety of her letters—the howls that Ame filled the air with on a daily basis to let her know that he was doing fine.

The wolf girl pursed her lips for a moment, rubbing them together in thought. Then, she made eye contact with her roommate again and gave her head a couple of soft nods.

"You could say that." Yuki confirmed, shortly before she raised her shoulders in a small shrugging motion. "In the end though, all we can really do is wait and see if Ame will come back to visit us."

A cheerful, reassuring grin molded its way across Shino's lips, her hands sweetly cuffing the stuffed panda that was still in her lap.

"Well, I wouldn't worry if I were you, Yuki. If you want my opinion, I truly believe that he will visit. Not only is it almost Christmas, but your _birthday_ is just a week away from tonight. I can't imagine a brother not being around to celebrate something like that."

As soon as she heard her birthday get brought up, a sliver of a smile managed to appear on Yuki's face. She automatically thought back to the prior year—her eleventh birthday. Her mom had surprised her by baking her favorite cake—strawberry with buttercream icing and chocolate sprinkles—and a variety of the neighbors, along with some of Yuki's friends from school, had actually traveled all the way out to the house to celebrate, bringing along gifts, homemade dishes, and silly little party items like birthday hats, whistle blowers, and confetti poppers. Even Ame had traveled out to the mountains in order to locate fresh fruit and bring it back as a present for his sister, knowing how much she used to love searching for food in the wilderness as a wolf pup. Needless to say, that turned out to be one of the greatest days in Yuki's entire life.

Her twelfth birthday had been a little less active, considering how there had _still_ been damages that were in need of repair all over the place from the frequent storms and a couple of the wolf girl's friends had already made the decision to pursue their educations elsewhere. Plus, Ame had already been gone for a couple of months. Although, when her twelfth birthday _did_ arrive, Yuki had woken up at exactly midnight ... and the reason as to why was because she could've sworn—even in her groggy state—that she heard the sound of howls coming from the mountains in the distance. She could just _feel _deep down inside of her that it was _Ame ... _and he was wishing her a happy birthday.

Now, in just another week, Yuki was going to be turning _thirteen ..._ and she could only imagine how that was going to turn out. She was actually pretty excited, especially since she had made so many new friends at the Junior High School and it would be her first time celebrating something with her mom since she'd gone away to live in the student dorms.

"I'm still trying to get a firm grip on how I'm just a couple of days away from becoming an official _teenager._" Yuki said, her eyes nearly twinkling as she made her final word sound so valuable and majestic. "Life gives us twelve years to be known as children ... and only six years to be viewed as teenagers. It's not a fair balance ... but it's still a balance that I'll _gladly_ accept. After all of these years, I'm _definitely_ ready to be seen as something that's not 'just a kid.'"

Shino scoffed and rolled her eyes, both in an amused manner.

"Don't I know what _that's_ like? I felt the _exact same way_ before I turned thirteen last month ... but I have to admit, it was still pretty hard to be away from home at that time. My dad and I always celebrated my birthday by spending a majority of the day in the woods that are behind my house together. We would hike, cloud gaze, look around at all of the pretty colors in the trees, and eventually head down to the lake to skip stones and have a _special_ picnic." Shino giggled a little after her final sentence, looking genuinely happy with her reminiscing. "My dad liked to convince himself that I didn't have the slightest clue as to what he packed, but I always had my ways of finding out beforehand. Then, when sunset came, we would head back to the house to prepare the fire pit for roasting marshmallows. It's a tradition that the two of us have done ever since I was a kid."

Yuki blinked, slight awe coming over her as her roommate painted such a beautiful and well-detailed mental picture. It made a piece of her begin to think about her own dad again. She wondered if he and her would've had some type of birthday routine like that, along with him and Ame. Yet, at the same time, Yuki had met Shino's father on multiple occasions and she truly admired the bond that the he and his daughter shared. She also enjoyed seeing how happy Shino was when talking about him. With that being said, the wolf girl's small smile expanded a little more.

"That's so sweet of your father to do all of that with you to celebrate your birthday, Shino. It sounds like a lot of fun."

"It really is!" Shino confirmed. "And luckily, when I last called him, my dad had mentioned that he had found a few ways for us to be able to continue the tradition in the snow. We'll just need to bundle up a little more and trade skipping stones for ice skating. He also promised to include hot chocolate during the picnic! If you want, Yuki, you can come over by the time that we arrive back at the house to make smores. That is, if it's okay with your mom."

"Yeah, I would enjoy that." Yuki said with a couple of nods, right before she ended up cocking her head a little to the side in curiosity. "Would your mom be joining us, too? Or do you and her have your own little birthday tradi—"

The look of pure delight on Shino's face had noticeably flickered at the word "mom," accompanied by something shooting through her eyes. It was very similar to want had happened when the wolf girl had asked her question on what was her roommate's mother's favorite type of Melty Kiss.

Before Yuki could manage to finish her second question, she was cut off by her roommate abruptly taking her hands in her own. As she did this, a new smile—one that looked just as forced as the one from earlier—appeared on Shino's face and a wave of confusion swept across Yuki's features.

"Hey!" Shino said, the cheer in her voice suddenly sounding like it was being used to cover up something that was inside of her. "I actually have something that I would like to give you!"

The wolf girl faltered for a second. "Huh?"

"Yeah! I was originally going to wait until your actual birthday to give it to you, but ... now feels as good a time as any."

With that, Shino released Yuki's hands, placed her stuffed panda aside, stood up from the ground, trotted over to the closet, and slid the door open with a reasonable amount of eagerness. Afterwards, Shino stood on her tiptoes and extended her arms upwards in order to reach the shelf that had a First-Aid kit, a small tub of cleaning supplies, and a few extra pillows neatly organized across it.

"Shino, you _really_ shouldn't have..." Yuki said, watching her roommate with a look on her face that made her seem like a little kid that was surprised, curious, and lost all in one.

"Of course I should've, silly!" Shino retorted, the perkiness in her tone only making the wolf child question her odd behavior towards her mother even more. "A birthday just _wouldn't_ be complete without gifts."

The wolf girl knew that she couldn't really object to that; but that didn't stop her from hoping that her roommate hadn't spent_ too much_ money—if any at all—on her.

Eventually, after rummaging around for about ten seconds, Shino pulled something out of the closet. Then, upon sliding the door shut again, she twirled back around to face Yuki's direction. Once again, her smile had become much more genuine and she was now holding a white box that came with a peach-colored lid. A pretty, bright orange ribbon was wrapped around it, being the only indication that the box contained some type of present.

"Ta-da! Happy early birthday, Yuki!"

Yuki offered her a somewhat sheepish grin. "Oh, well ... thanks!"

Shino skipped back over to where she had been previously sitting and resumed her spot on the floor, right before she held the gift out towards her roommate.

"Go ahead and open it. I want to see your reaction."

"Yeah, okay."

The wolf girl couldn't help but feel a little bashful, this being the result of her no longer being that little kid that used to love being the center of attention. Nevertheless, Yuki had known Shino for _so many_ years to the point where she was more than willing to make exceptions for her. She could handle being the prime focus for a friend.

Yuki reached her hands out, taking the box from her roommate with such delicacy. She then placed it on her lap, treating it as though it was made out of glass, and peeked up to see how Shino would react. In return, Shino gave a silent nod of approval, as if she was telling Yuki again to go ahead and open the gift.

So, that's _exactly_ what Yuki did. She dropped her gaze back down to the present and proceeded to gently unravel the ribbon, not wanting to seem too eager and still wishing to be ladylike. When that was over, the wolf child was finally able to remove the peach-colored lid ... and as soon as she saw what was inside the box, Yuki felt her heart take a stunned leap in her chest.

There, sitting on a large mass of sparkly tissue paper, was a small, charming, vibrant pink chest. It had a shiny, golden latch that secured it shut and a couple of matching butterflies that were designed across the top of it. They would gleam whenever the light hit them at just the right angle, making the whole chest even more beautiful to look at.

Yuki's eyes were as wide as saucers as she stared into the box. She reached one hand in and carefully slid the pads of her fingers along the front of the pink chest. Then, with slight hesitance, she slipped her fingertips underneath the latch. It took her a couple of seconds, but the wolf child eventually flipped it up and proceeded to open the chest. It was empty, but Yuki could see that there were seven compartments inside of it ... and that's all it took for her to finish processing what she was looking at.

This chest wasn't just _any_ chest. On the contrary, it was the _exact_ jewelry box—or "treasure box," as the two girls commonly referred to it as—that Shino had used to bring to school with her when she and Yuki were little kids. She used to open it and show all of their female classmates her collection of pretty necklaces, cute hairpins, and glitzy beads. Now, after all of these years, she had presented it to Yuki with absolutely _nothing_ in it ... and that was all that it took for the wolf child to understand what her roommate was doing.

Yuki lifted her head, her face completely overrun by disbelief.

Shino stared back at her, now wearing a smile that was much more sincere and almost sisterly.

"No..." Yuki said, beginning to shake her head.

Her roommate nodded. "Yes, Yuki."

The wolf girl shook her head a little faster. "No, no, no...!"

"Yes...!"

"No! Shino, I _can't—_"

Yuki held the box that contained her present back out in Shino's direction, obviously wanting her to take it back. Nevertheless, her roommate refused to do so, using one of her own hands in order to gently push the box back into Yuki's personal bubble.

"_Yes,_ you can." Shino settled, sounding just as calm and honest as she looked.

"But this is the treasure box that you've had ever since we were _elementary school._" Yuki pointed out, still completely caught off guard. "You've loved it for as long as I can remember. So, _how_ do you expect me to just _take it_ from you?"

"Because you're not _taking_ it from me, Yuki. I'm _giving_ it to you."

"But ... _why_ give me something as valuable as _this?_"

"Because I already have a hunch that my dad is going to surprise me with an all new treasure box and I don't see the point of having two. I don't own that much jewelry. Plus, I know that since this one has meant so much to me for all of these years, you'll take great care of it."

The wolf girl stared at her roommate for a couple of more seconds. She was touched, but also still shocked over the fact that she was being trusted to own something that Shino had cherished for God knows how long. It was such a sweet gesture, especially since Yuki didn't collect jewelry or anything that would really be considered "valuable." She _used_ to collect dirty leaves, fallen feathers, old acorns, the decaying bones of small animals, and the mummified bodies of lizards, butterflies, and beetles; but that was many years ago. She had grown out of that ... but even though she didn't collect anything else for the time being, Yuki was still grateful and willing to use Shino's treasure box to decorate her half of the dorm. It would be a symbol of their friendship from that moment on.

"Shino, I ... I don't know what to say." Yuki stammered as she took another look at the vibrant pink chest that now belonged to her. "This is ... just so generous of you..."

Shino let out a giggle to show that she appreciated her roommate's words, right before she leaned a little closer in Yuki's direction.

"Well, this isn't all! I actually have something else that I want to show you."

"Huh?" Yuki automatically lifted her head back up, confused once again. "...To _show_ me?"

"Uh-huh! I've been working on it ever since our first week here!"

While making that comment, Shino practically sprang up from the ground. Then, without any hesitation, she spun around and crawled up onto her stripped bed.

Yuki watched her, feeling her new burst of curiosity automatically increase when she noticed her roommate position herself on her knees and simply stare at the huge piece of tie-dye tapestry that was hanging on the east wall. Shortly after that, Shino glanced over her shoulder, offered the wolf child a look of utter excitement, and gestured for her to come on.

"Come on, Yuki!"

"Oh, right! I'm coming!"

The wolf girl quickly helped herself up from the floor, placing her present down on her nightstand. Upon doing that, she approached her roommate's bed and climbed up onto it. Her hands and knees sunk into the futon with every move that she made, but Yuki continued to crawl until she made it to Shino's side. Then, she took a similar position as her roommate—sitting on her knees like she was getting ready to say a prayer and staring at the large piece of colorful tapestry. Although, while Shino looked like an excited child that was expecting a visit from the Tooth Fairy after losing a loose tooth, Yuki looked more like a small pup that was trying to understand a new trick.

"Uhh ... Shino?" Yuki said, peeking over at her roommate. "Why are we just staring at your tapestry?"

"Oh, you'll see!" Shino replied, right before she pinched a hold of the bottom right corner of the tie-dye tapestry and returned the other girl's gaze. "Are you ready, Yuki?"

With her curiosity completely visible in her eyes, the wolf child gave a small shrug and replied with, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

After that, Shino started to peel the bottom right corner of the tie-dye tapestry up towards the upper left corner. As she did this, she just so happened to reveal a dark purple thumbtack that was sticking out of the wall and she used her unoccupied hand to pull it out. When that was over, Shino continued to focus on moving the colorful piece of tapestry out of the way. She finished lining up the bottom right corner with the upper left corner and then used the thumbtack to keep the tapestry in that new position. Now, the portion of the east wall that was directly beside Shino's bed was completely exposed ... and Yuki couldn't _believe_ what she was now looking at.

There was a medium-sized map of the United States pinned to the wall, accompanied by stickers that were shaped like gold stars and thumbtacks of all different colors. Almost every last location on the map was pierced with a thumbtack, as well as decorated by at least two gold stars. Not only that, but all around the outside of the map, there was what looked like a _massive_ collage. It consisted of newspaper clippings, glossy images from magazines, and second-hand postcards that looked like they had been printed off from a computer, rather than collected from anyone's _actual_ experiences.

The newspaper clippings were mostly decorated with streaks from purple, yellow, and blue highlighters, making specific words within them practically jump out at whoever was looking at them. They also provided pictures of different landmarks from all over the world, such as Big Ben in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and the list could go on for miles. It had appeared that Shino had taken it upon herself to color these images, making them look like they hadn't been originally printed with black and white ink.

Meanwhile, the photos from the magazines revolved around beautiful pieces of scenery that looked like they had been taken out of somebody's greatest dream, and models that were advertising outfits from different parts of the world. A couple of the pictures were also nothing more than just large words, such as "Broadway," "History," and "Art," that Shino had cut out and added neatly to the rest of the collage.

Lastly, a majority of the postcards were decorated with the images of fancy fountains, artistic archways, pretty lighthouses, vintage homes, and the list could—once again—keep going. Other postcards, on the other hand, were covered with even more landmarks—the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Spinx in Egypt, and so on.

It was as if the east wall had been transformed into a large portal that led to practically anywhere in the whole world. Everything was pieced together so perfectly, not looking the slightest bit disorganized or unappealing. It was _phenomenal._

The wolf girl's jaw nearly dropped, her eyes now as big as plates. She let out a soft breath of amazement and dragged her gaze along the wall slowly, wanting to make sure that she drank in every last detail that was incorporated into both items that were shown to her—the map and the collage.

"Oh my gosh ... Shino, this is_ incredible._" Yuki said at last, definitely sounding as mesmerized as she looked. "You put this whole thing together by yourself?"

"Yep! I usually found myself working on it whenever you were at volleyball or swim practice. It's still a work in progress, but I thought that I had finished enough of it to show you before leaving for break." Shino explained with a bright smile. "I call it my 'Land of Adventure.'"

The wolf child blinked, feeling her awe beginning to get sprinkled with curiosity all over again. She glanced around at the whole collage and map once more, right before she turned her head and locked her attention on her roommate.

"Why do you call it that?"

"Because ever since I was five, I've _always_ had the desire to go on adventures all over the world." Shino let out a blissful sigh, right before she went into more detail. "The final week of July was coming up, which meant that it was almost time for the annual Fireworks Festival. I had been looking forward to it ever since school first let out ... but my dad had told me over dinner that we were going to do something different. During the final week of summer, we were going to be in Idaho, visiting my grandparents since they hadn't seen me since I was a baby."

The word "grandparents" automatically had Yuki's curiosity increasing even more. Neither she or Ame had _ever_ had the opportunity to meet any of their grandparents before. Ookami's parents had perished in a car accident when he was a little boy, while Hana's father had died of cancer when she was also very young. Hana's mother, on the other hand, had slipped away a couple of months after she was accepted into Hitotsubashi University due to a bad case of pneumonia. So, Yuki listened _extra_ carefully to every word that left Shino's mouth, truly wanting to hear more about her grandparents and her "Land of Adventure."

"How did you handle news like that?" Yuki asked.

"Well, I can't exactly remember whether I was more angry or disappointed. Either way, I was mainly upset at the thought of missing the Fireworks Festival in order to reconnect with two people that I didn't even remember. My father had assured me that it would be a lot of fun, but that didn't stop me from sulking. I barely spoke a word during the whole eleven hours on the plane ... but when we landed, we were surprised to find out that my grandparents were waiting at the airport to meet us. I can't really find the right words to describe it, but ... as soon as I laid my eyes on them, it was like I had _never_ been upset. I felt as though the two of them had _always_ been in my life ... and, long story short, my dad ended up being right about how the whole experience would be fun. It was such an _amazing_ trip."

The wolf girl raised her eyebrows, her interest inching its way up more and more with every few passing seconds.

"Really?"

"Yeah! My grandma and grandpa took me and my father around to see so many ghost towns, ranches, monuments, and _dozens_ of other sights. They even taught me how to horseback ride and they purchased some fireworks for us to light after they had found out from my dad that we would be missing the Fireworks Festival."

"They sure do sound like great grandparents." Yuki commented, right before she tilted her head a little to the side. "What does Idaho look like, Shino?"

"Oh, it's absolutely _beautiful._ My grandparents live in Northern Idaho, so there's plenty of space and nature. It's endless stretches of bright green land, accompanied by hills that are overflowing with sweet-smelling flowers and large fields for farmers to plant their crops. There's also _plenty_ of mountains that are surrounded by towering high trees, trails for camping, and multiple lakes and rivers. Some of them even had waterfalls and I still remember spotting plenty of deer, squirrels, and other animals that must've lived in the wilderness around there!"

At the sound of all of that, the corners of Yuki's lips ended up twitching upwards, forming one of her delicate smiles. She continued to stare at Shino for a couple of more seconds. Then, she silently turned her head back over towards the map and focused specifically on the state of Idaho.

"That definitely sounds like a place that Ame would love." Yuki said softly, as though she was speaking to just herself.

"Before that trip, the only place that I ever experienced for myself was Japan. It might sound awfully cliche, especially since we're talking about _Idaho_ of all places ... but it was the place that opened my eyes to the reality that there's _so much more_ out there to see in this world. With every passing day, my desire to go on adventures grew stronger ... and I found myself creating _this._" Shino declared, obviously referring to the collage. "I want to visit _every last area_ on this map that I have marked with a thumbtack or sticker ... and I want _you_ to come with me, Yuki."

The sweetness and sincerity in Shino's voice had completely altered into determination and enthusiasm as she made that final comment.

A jolt of surprise shot through the wolf child's body. She didn't think twice before making eye contact with her roommate, the look on her face making it more than evident that she hadn't been expecting to be told something like that.

"What? ... You want _me_ to go on trips around the world with _you?_" Yuki inquired, only to end up having more to say. "But ... why _me_ of all people? Shino, you have _so_ _many_ other friends that you could choose from—and you've known most of them for basically your _whole life._ What makes _me _stand out from the rest of them?"

Of course, while asking that final question, the wolf girl was excluding the fact that she wasn't a full human. She was also having a moment in which she was struggling with her self-confidence, which was something that she had been having an on-again, off-again battle with ever since the day in which she sliced Souhei's ear with her claws. Even though the two of them had made up—and not to mention came clean about their secrets—that memory _still_ haunted Yuki.

"Yuki..." Shino said as she took one of Yuki's hands in her own and gave it an honest squeeze. "I know that we've only known each other for a couple of years ... but our friendship is so strong to the point where it _feels_ like I've known you for my entire life, too. You're my _best friend ..._ and I really can't see myself going on adventures all around the world with anybody else but _you._ So, that's _exactly_ what we're going to do."

Yuki blinked, suddenly finding herself unable to talk. She opened her mouth to say something back, but ended up closing it when she realized that she felt what was most definitely guilt beginning to trickle through her system. Needless to say, she was touched and even more stunned by her roommate's words ... but having Shino describe her as her _best friend_ while knowing that she didn't have the slightest clue about her secret made Yuki start to feel a little ashamed in herself.

"Okay, now that we have all of that mushy stuff out of the way ... let's talk adventure!"

Shino suddenly hopped off from her bed, chuckling a little. She stood in the center of the room, holding her arms out at her sides as she spun back around to face Yuki. Her eyes looked whimsical and a determined grin was decorating her face.

"We're going to start off with Los Angeles. It will be no more than sixty degrees every night. The air will be filled with the scents of junk food and saltwater as we walk along the Santa Monica pier, winning fun prizes at every last one of the booths, taking hundreds of silly pictures together, and hitting up all of the rides. Then, we'll walk along the shore, basking in the silvery moonlight, dipping our toes in the water, watching the colorful lights from the pier, and enjoying giant globs of cotton candy."

Yuki straightened herself up, slight awe crossing over her features as she thought about the scene that her roommate had just described. Meanwhile, Shino found herself giggling a little and spinning around in a circle, as if she was a ballerina. After that, she locked her attention back on the wolf girl and, with that same look from before still on her face, continued talking.

"After that, we'll go to New York—the city that never sleeps and the land of fashion, theatre, glitter, and gunshots. We'll be free of this school's strict curfew, sitting at an outdoor table of some random cafe and filling our stomachs with pizza that's completely smothered with hot, melting cheese and juicy pepperoni at two in the morning. The Statue of Liberty will be in the distance, providing us with an unbelievable view, and we'll be filling the air with the sound of us shouting Broadway songs together."

"Heh ... it really sounds like you've been putting _a lot_ of thought into this." Yuki pointed out as she rubbed the back of her neck and tried to ignore the slight guilt that was still lingering around inside of her.

"Oh, more than you can _ever _imagine!"

Shino spoke those words proudly, right before she extended her arms out at her sides and spun around in a couple of more circles. She lightly laughed as she did this, making herself seem so free and happy. All the while, the purple and aqua constellations from the spherical nightlight continued to shine and rotate right above her. It made the whole moment seem even more magical.

"We're going to visit _every last state_ and go on _hundreds_ of adventures. Just picture it, Yuki! You and me, sitting at the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and stuffing our faces with a five-course meal after just receiving a tour of the Catacombs. We would smell like a mixture of underground musk and ridiculously expensive French perfume, and the sky would be an endless sea of glittery constellations. We'll be so high up to the point where it'll literally feel like all we'd have to do is reach our hands up in order to touch the stars."

The wolf girl ran a piece of her hair through two of her fingers, lifting her gaze up to the aqua and purple stars that were still softly rotating along the ceiling. As she did this, she couldn't help but imagine the next scene that Shino had described to her. Although, at the same time, the wolf child could feel what she knew was most certainly _doubt_ beginning to bubble up in the pit of her stomach.

"That sounds ... absolutely perfect." Yuki said in a tone that was barely audible, her final two words making it clear that she was beginning to think that all of these descriptions were simply too good to _ever_ come to life.

When it came to the two girls, the wolf child possessed more of an inquisitive, alert, and down-to-earth attitude. Her roommate, on the other hand, was much more confident, outgoing, and starry-eyed. Both of them had determination, but on different wavelengths; and while Yuki always seemed to be fixated on maintaining an appropriate and graceful reputation, Shino didn't seem to mind the fact that she actually possessed a side of herself that was awfully hot-headed and outspoken. In shorter terms, the two of them were complete opposites.

"And don't think that we're going to leave out Hawaii!" Shino went on, automatically having Yuki's gaze being drawn back to her. "The two of us can lie back on the soft, white sand of the Maluaka Beach in Maui. The hot sun will be beaming against the rolling waves as we relax underneath an oversized umbrella in our swimsuits, sipping some fruity drinks that were served to us in the bottom halves of two pineapples. In order to cool off, we'll go swimming with a friendly group of dolphins and sea turtles. Then, as the sky fills with the rich colors of the sunset, we'll raid _all_ of the Hawaiian gift shops, buying as many tiki bracelets, miniature Hula girls, and other goofy souvenirs as possible."

With a gentle look in her eyes, Yuki offered Shino a soft, uncertain, somewhat sympathetic smile. It was the same grin that she had given Souhei, back when he had told her that he was willing to become a boxer in order to leave his home and escape from his neglectful mother, new stepfather, and unborn sibling.

"Is that all?" Yuki asked with a slight, joking note in her voice.

"Nope! But I could go on all night if you let me!"

Shino laughed a little more as she gave that response. At the same time, she lifted her arms above her head and spun around in a couple of more elegant circles, as if she was an ice skater. Then, when that was over, she placed a hand on her hip and locked her attention back on the wolf child.

"One day, we're going to visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona and take turns hollering out random things in order to hear the echo. We're also going to climb all the way to the top of Everest, go on a boat ride directly underneath Niagara Falls, see the Northern Lights, and go on a tour through the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. Who knows ... while exploring the castles in Scotland, you and I just might be the ones to _actually_ discover the Loch Ness Monster."

Yuki had admired Shino's passion and enthusiasm for as long as she could remember. However, in times like this, it only made sense for her doubt to kick in. By this point, it had spread to her chest.

"Do you _really_ think that we could do all of that, Shino?" Yuki asked, still wearing her unsure grin.

"Yeah!" Shino replied within seconds, sounding just as optimistic as she looked. "Why _wouldn't_ we be able to?"

The wolf child dragged her bottom lip between her teeth in thought. As she did this, she dragged herself over to the edge of the bed and repositioned herself. Now, she was sitting on her butt again and her legs were dangling off from the futon. Her feet touched the floor, but she chose to remain seated.

"Well ... how are we going to pay for all of this? Traveling is expensive, isn't it?" Yuki inquired with slight caution highlighting her tone. "We're just in the seventh grade. We don't have hardly _any_ money of our own to depend on, especially for _all of these_ trips and activities."

Shino shook her head in a dismissive manner almost immediately, her positivity and determination never faltering.

"Oh, we don't need to worry about that. We can just save up any money that we get from our allowances and birthdays. I'm also pretty sure that it wouldn't be very hard for us to find some jobs to carry out over the summer. Maybe we could help with the books at the library or serve treats at one of the nearby pastry shops. You know, something like that."

The wolf girl blinked, feeling her doubt lessen a little after she acknowledged her roommate's suggestions on how to handle money.

"And what about transportation?"

"There are _plenty_ of forms of transportation, Yuki. Planes, cars, buses, trains, boats, submarines ... take your pick."

While giving her next response, Shino had retreated to her bed and taken a seat next to Yuki on the edge. Then, as those final three words left her mouth, Shino leaned over and playfully nudged her shoulder against's Yuki's shoulder. By doing that, the uncertainty in the wolf child's smile began to slowly dissolve and look a little more genuine.

"Trains _do_ sound like they would be pretty cool to ride." Yuki admitted, raising her shoulders in a slight shrugging motion. "Aside from the bus, my mom's truck, and the old bike that she used to have to depend on all throughout mine and Ame's early childhood, I've never really experienced any other type of transportation."

Shino smiled, letting a moment of silence go by. After that, she lifted her attention back up to the pretty stars that were revolving along the ceiling and said, "I've rode on a couple of trains before. They actually provide some of the _best_ views ... and not to mention some of the _most incredible_ bursts of exhilaration, inspiration, and adrenaline. The wheels clacking against the tracks, the whistles blowing, the wind blowing in through the windows ... I'm almost surprised by how _fun_ and _magical_ it all felt."

A mixture of interest and surprise twinkled in the wolf girl's eyes. She slowly straightened herself up, staring at her roommate like she was a small child that had just been told about Santa Claus for the first time ever.

"Really?"

"Yeah. One day, I'll be able to be there when you experience the thrill of it for yourself ... but we'll have _plenty_ of time to talk about our transportation." Shino declared, right before she turned her head and made eye contact with Yuki again. "Do you have anymore questions in regards of our traveling plans?"

Yuki used one of her hands to push some of her long hair out of her face. As she did this, the final question—the main one that she wanted to know—came back to the front of her mind.

"Yeah, um ... what about our parents? Don't you think that they would be ... _uncomfortable_ at the thought of us going on _so many_ trips without them?"

"Who said that we would be going anywhere _without_ them? They would _totally_ be coming with us!" Shino retorted, somehow managing to have the perfect blend of confidence and perkiness in her voice. "I'm sure that your mom would _love_ shopping, collecting shells along multiple beaches, and playing Putt-Putt with the two of us! I also know for a fact that my dad would have an absolute _blast_ with all of the tours and sightseeing! It has _always_ been a dream of his to ride in the London Eye and listen to Big Ben chime! And London is just _one_ of the many places on his bucket list, as well as my own!"

At first, the wolf child seemed to be perfectly fine with her roommate's response. She found herself beginning to smile at the mental picture of her mother actually having the opportunity to go on vacations and enjoy some time away from her hardworking schedule. However, when Shino reached her final sentence, Yuki found herself automatically growing confused at the realization that she hadn't mentioned _her own_ mother.

"And what about your mom?" Yuki asked, the beaming face of Shino's mother coming to her mind as she spoke. "What are some activities that you can imagine her doing during these journeys of ours?"

That question was all it took to _completely_ change Shino's demeanor. It literally took no more than three seconds for her upbeat grin to crumble away from her face like it had never been there. At the same time, Shino's shoulders had noticeably tensed up and her eyes had grown to be the size of headlights. Not only that, but the look that had formed within them made it seem like she was staring _right through_ Yuki instead of _directly at_ _her._

For Shino, it was as though a fuse had been blown inside of her and she needed a moment to figure out how to get herself back on the appropriate track. She hadn't moved a muscle for about five seconds, but there was a noticeable spark of something—possibly hurt, regret, or something among those lines—that had shot through her eyes.

"Oh, uh..." Shino said at last, sucking her lips into her mouth as she paused again and gave her shoulders a vague, dismissive shrug. "She'd probably enjoy going on a cruise to Mexico ... just lounging on the sun deck with ... um ... a floppy hat, one of her favorite sundresses, some pair of oversized sunglasses ... uh ... a caramel latte, and a good book..."

This time, there wasn't _any_ enthusiasm in Shino's voice. Instead, she sounded distracted and she had reduced herself to almost grumbling—probably without even realizing it. She had also lowered her attention down to her lap and was starting to fiddle around with her nails.

By that point, Yuki had recalled the two other times in which her roommate had faltered at the mention of her mother. That was all it took for the wolf child's confusion to completely alter into concern.

"Shino...? What's going on with you tonight?" Yuki asked, tilting her head in order for her to be able to see her roommate's face better.

"What do you mean?" Shino inquired.

The wolf girl made sure to choose her words carefully as she went on with what was on her mind.

"I ... I can just see that there's something about your mom that's bothering you. Every time that I just so happened to bring her up ... it's like you can't help but _completely_ shut down. Your whole attitude changes and it just seems like you're _always_ eager to change the topic whenever she's mentioned. Did ... you and her have a fight or ... you know, something?"

Shino squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, almost looking like she was fighting the urge to grimace. Then, after she opened her eyes again, she turned her head and stared at Yuki. Her face looked blank, yet it was also evident that she was trying to force a smile across her face to help her come off as convincing. Although, she was failing miserably.

"No, no ... not at all. Nothing like that happened." Shino assured, shaking her head a couple of times. "Really, everything with me and my family is _fine._ There's absolutely _nothing_ to worry about, Yuki. Seriously, you don't have to—"

The wolf child placed a hand on her roommate's shoulder, almost catching her own self off guard from how abrupt the gesture was. She then gave it a small squeeze, allowing this to be one of those rare moments in which she allowed herself interrupt somebody.

"Shino ... _please_ don't lie to me. I_ know you._ I can tell that there's something on your mind about your mother ... and I made the mistake of ignoring my gut when it was trying to tell me earlier that something was going on in the first place. _Every time_ that your mom was brought up in one of our conversations, you ... just seemed to get _upset._"

Once again, Shino hesitated. The phony smile that she had been trying to stretch across her lips almost immediately dropped like a block of cement. Then, just seconds later, a small pout appeared on her face and what looked like a sad, overwhelmed glow had appeared in her eyes.

Shino slumped her shoulders and let out a heavy sigh, right before she said in a quiet tone, "I guess that I made it pretty obvious, huh?"

"Kind of, yeah..." Yuki replied honestly and gently, just as she slowly withdrew her hand from her roommate's shoulder. "Shino ... what's wrong?"

The corners of Shino's lips twitched, threatening to fall into an even deeper frown. She dropped her attention down to her lap, the look on her face suddenly starting to morph. It was as if she didn't know whether she should've been more bitter or disappointed by whatever it was that was on her mind.

Yuki watched her roommate closely, her heart taking a small leap in her chest when she saw Shino then open her mouth. However, no words came out ... and when she realized that she was failing at getting herself to talk, Shino let out a huff. After that, without any warning, she shot up onto her feet and practically plopped her butt down onto the floor. Now, she was sitting in her original spot, completely surrounded by the sea of pillows.

The concern that Yuki was feeling for her roommate had reached its limit, the look on her face now perfectly resembling the one that her mother had been wearing on the day in which she had asked the wolf girl if she had actually injured Souhei's ear.

The silence that had formed was heavy and uncomfortable. In fact, it was almost hard to believe that the two girls were still in the same room.

Yuki slowly rose up onto her feet and took careful steps across the floor. She then retreated to the place that she had been sitting earlier—on the ground with her back positioned against her own bed, directly across from Shino. The entire time, her gaze never broke away from her roommate.

"Shino...?" Yuki said gingerly.

There were a couple of more seconds of nothing but pure silence, excluding the sound of the wind as it continued to whistle through the air outside. Then, Shino finally agreed to lift her head back up. She stared deeply at the wolf child, giving her a look that was serious, desperate, and deflated all in one.

"Yuki ... if I tell you this, you need to promise me first that you won't tell _anyone_ about it. Not even Souhei."

Considering how Yuki, Shino, and Souhei had grown to become the type of friends that often got together to hang out whenever they found the time, the fact that Shino wanted Yuki to swear to not even tell _him_ about whatever was going on only made this whole scenario even _more_ unsettling.

The wolf girl was beginning to fear the worst, unable to ignore how this change in her roommate's behavior wasn't _anything_ like her usual, silly, happy-go-lucky self. It was literally like a switch had been flipped, causing Shino to become an entirely different person right then and there.

"I understand ... I won't tell Souhei or anybody else. You have my word." Yuki promised as she curled her toes and dug them into her blanket beneath her, preparing herself for whatever she was about to hear. "Now ... what's going on with your mom that has you acting this way?"

Shino's eyes softened a little, almost making them look like the eyes of a helpless puppy. She pursed her lips in what looked like disappointment, right before she slowly lowered her gaze down to her lap. It took her a couple of seconds, but she eventually let out a sigh and proceeded to talk with complete honesty.

"Yuki ... the woman that you're asking me about ... _isn't_ my mother. She is my _stepmother._"

As soon as she heard those words, Yuki could've sworn that she felt everything freeze for a moment. Her eyes grew and began to flutter in shock, never breaking away from her roommate. At the same time, the realization that Shino looked absolutely _nothing_ like the woman who Yuki had simply assumed was her mother shot through her mind like a bolt of lightning.

The wolf girl opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, but wasn't able to get any words out. It took her a moment before she was _finally_ able to force out the only word that was on her mind at that time.

"W ... what?!"

"Yeah. She and my dad got married two years ago." Shino explained in a tone that was both blunt and drained, resting her chin on her hand as she stared in the direction of the window. "They met when I was around four-and-a-half and began to date when I was six. Then, shortly after I turned nine, my dad proposed to her ... and as a result of all of the bad storms that we had been getting, they decided that it would be easier to just elope—just _two days_ after that very school day in which we were dismissed early on account of the newest storm. My stepmom had her lips painted bright red to match her hair and she was wearing a white, sleeveless ballgown that was decorated with hundreds of glittery rhinestones. She looked absolutely beautiful ... and my dad looked _so happy_ when he saw her. I think that I even saw him start to cry."

Yuki hung onto every word that left Shino's mouth. The fact that she sounded so emotionless when describing everything about her father and stepmom made an uneasy knot begin to form in the pit of the wolf child's stomach. It was the same exact feeling that she had experienced back when Souhei had talked to her about his mother getting remarried; and Shino just so happened to be speaking in a very similar tone.

"It ... definitely _does_ sound like your dad loves her." Yuki said softly.

"Yes, he does." Shino confirmed, her voice still lacking emotion and gaze still locked in the direction of the window. "Even before the two of them chose to get romantically involved, they seemed to connect so perfectly. Every time that somebody saw me with them, they would automatically assume that my stepmom was my birth mom. It got to the point where I just got used to the assumptions and I saw no point in correcting anyone. To this day, nobody knows that my stepmother isn't my _actual_ mother ... except for you."

"I see..." The wolf girl continued to choose her words carefully, staring at her roommate in disbelief. "And is there ... you know, um ... _a problem_ of any kind with your stepmother?"

Shino's somewhat stony expression never wavered, her eyes still looking off towards the window. Her head was still resting on top of her closed fist as well.

"No. There's nothing going on with my stepmother. She's not the issue." Shino said, allowing a brief pause to go by before she finished her thought. "_...Amaya Suzuki_ is the issue."

The first thing that the wolf child noticed about the mysterious name was that "Amaya" translated to "night rain" and "Suzuki" meant "bell tree." She had no idea why she felt the urge to mentally translate what the name meant, but if she had to guess, Yuki figured that it was because she knew that her parents had given her and Ame their names based off the weather that had been occurring during their births.

The second thing that she noticed, on the other hand, was that she didn't recognize the name at all.

"Amaya Suzuki?" Yuki repeated, blinking in obvious confusion. "Who's that?"

Shino exhaled through her nose, not saying anything back right away. She then withdrew her chin from her fist and straightened herself back up, positioning her back against her own bed. Finally, a couple of seconds later, she turned her head away from the direction of the window and stared directly at Yuki.

"...She's my birth mom."

* * *

_To be continued..._

* * *

**A/N: There you have it, ladies and gentlemen! We have made it to the end of part one of the two-shot! :D :D**

**As you all can see, I'm going to be digging more into Shino's character since I honestly feel that she turned out to be pretty underrated. She was the first ever human that Yuki befriended and was the main one that stuck by Yuki's side no matter what. However, when Souhei came into the picture, his and Yuki's bond seemed to become the prime focus. There were still little details that were placed in the film/manga that showed that Yuki and Shino were still good friends—such as Hana telling Souhei in one part that Yuki had left to hang out at Shino's house—but other than that ... as time went on in the movie/manga, Shino and Yuki's friendship started to become overlooked. **

**With all of that being said, I decided to create this two-shot to expand more on who Shino is and explore her and Yuki's friendship. I hope that you're all enjoying it so far ... just like I hope that all of you will stay tuned for the second part of the two-shot! ;) ;)**

**Just in case any of you are wondering, I _have _started writing the second part and I surprisingly managed to complete a decent amount of it. However, I still have quite a few scenes to finish putting together before it's entirely finished. Not only that, but I'm also in the middle of juggling homework, projects, and other responsibilities on the side of my writing. So, please understand that the second part will require _time_ and _patience _to finish bringing to life. I can assure you all, I'll get it posted as soon as I find the time to complete it! :)**

**Remember, don't forget to review! I _love _feedback and I appreciate it very, _very _much! I look forward to hearing what you all think of the first part of this two-shot! Don't hesitate to share your thoughts with me! Please review, everybody! :D :D**

**Note: I usually take 1-3 weeks off between every chapter/post before writing again, considering this will provide me with time to relax myself, plan the next chapter/post, and give my brain a chance to recharge. I hope you all understand. :)**

**Fun**** Fact: "Melty Kisses" are _actual _Japanese chocolates. I decided to incorporate them into this two-shot since Yuki and Shino would be devouring sweets.**

**Anyway, I believe that I've finished stating everything that I felt needed to be said in this post.**

**Thank you all very much for taking the time to read part one of this two-shot! You have _no idea _how much it means to me! *Insert heart emojis* :D**

**You have all been a _fantastic _audience! Stay tuned for the second part of this two-shot! **

**I love you all! Happy reading and writing!**

**Until the next post, everybody!**

**Crystalteen, out! :D :D :) :)**


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